The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-31

| naCllne shops Nncie MI huSsO'i ""o va
ployed, on one occasion were twenty iiy'
negroes, who Joined in the procession, Tn
like the majority of the others they save
their presents and acknowledged among
them that they took in forty dollars on thei'
days jubila'ion.
CIGARS AND TOBACCO.
The great staple of Cuba is tobacco. 1t
chief wealth is in the weed. Ii was es,imA
ted that in 1912, that from forty to fifty
thousand Of the people Of Havana made
their living from the manufacturing or hand
ling of tobacco in some form.
A MAMMOTH CAVE.
About GO miles north east of Havana is a
grand cave. II had been explored many
miles aud is on scale Of magnificence ami
variety much like the mammoth cave OF
Kentucky Mr., Russell visited it and found
it vast, grand, gloomy and wonderful beyond
description. After seeing mile OF stalac-
tites and stalagmites, and passing through
lofty rooms, spacious halls--and in one lofty
space encountering multitude OF little
owls and bats, who resented the invasion Of
their home by flying against the torches OF
the party, extinguishing most Of them, and
then, after learning that three miles further
on WAS river which must be crossed in a
boat, and that other explorers had travelled
sixty miles further on, Mr.. Russells friends
decided to retreat.
RETURNS TO THE UNITED STATES.
Mr.. Russell had worked three years at
pattern making in an extensive foundry and
machine shop. Though board at the big no,
tells was So per day, and 80 per week in the
best boarding houses, he had been economi-
cal and temperate in all things. The black.
eyed Senoritas had net made any inrosds
upon his affections. He had in three years
saved $4,000, and determined to leave for
the land Of the free" to make ga home"
for % the brave and that was himself. Ac-
cordingly in 1888 he took ship for New
Orleans and thence came by steamboat TO st.
Louis. He brought with, him 10000 Ha-
yana cigars, and it took the united capital
and credit of the three biggest merchants of
that city TO raise the 81 600 for them. There
was no cigar store then in st. Louis. and
his regret has been to thi. day that he did
not start there then in that business He
went to Monroe county, Illinois, where he
bought AGO acres Of timber land, and made
some improvements upon it, expecting every
year would double the value of his invest
nent. lie then concluded to visit his moth
or in New York and returned to st. Louis,
A TRIP TO NEW YORK.
From ST. Louis, he took a steamer to Gin
thence in stage to Lake Huron,
thence steamed around to Buffalo, where he
ook passage in a canal boat tor schenectady,
but the railroad was working its way west
Earl, and disgusted with the boats slow
progress, made unpleasantly manifest by
several trains flying past them, going in the
amc direction he finally jumped off the old
ub and took the cars for Albany. Going
lown the Hudson river he met an old friend
1t. Cunningham, who was an army officer
md was TO get off at West Point, where
.mong other wonders to be seen would be Il
plenlid fancy ball to be attended by the
Governor and g." lots and gob5' Of the very
lite Of New York City, and Mr.. Russell wos
Urged to stop off and see the sights. But as
Re had expended all his money on his farm,
md his trip to New York had cost him SlO6,
nd he had but solitary shilling in his
pocket, he concluded 10 omit the ball. Ar
living at the metropolis, he visited..with his
amily d few days and then made
ANOTHER TRIP TO CUBA.
This was in the fall Of 1888. On their
yay, off The Florida reefs, the vessel en-.
,ountered fierce hurricane The consort
II his packet disappeared, and neither the
ll.tated ship nor any Of her crew were ever
afterwards heard from. His vessels matches
were nailed down for fifteen hours, and the
ship for four hours lay upon her beam ends.
The sailors were lashed to the mast, which
had TO be cut away, The storm abated and
the 2ailors rugged a jury mast. 1t took them
Ihrec days to sail from Key WeRt to Havana,
4 distance of 100 miles. Their ship looked
like an old canal boat as il drifted into the
harbor. lie readily found work with his
former employers. He remained three years
more ut Havana, and having cleared 81, 600
more, took
ANOTHER TRIP HOME.
lie came up to Illinois, rs before, and
made further improvements on his farm, but
was rather disheartened on finding that the
price had, if anything, deprecated since he
bought it. But he built house and stable
and put up more fences; set out an orchard
and got in as good shape as he could-to sell
if ever he could get rich buyer. His
brother John and his mother came from
New York, John to make farm for himself